S. G. Ikoku

Mazi Samuel Goomsu Ikoku was a Nigerian trade unionist and politician. As a student at University of Southampton, Ikoku supported Nigeria's independence movement, writing articles printed by the West African Pilot. After his degree, he joined the radical arm of the independence movement, working as an adviser to the Nigerian Federation of Labour led Michael Imoudu and later co-founding the United Working People's Party in 1952.A year later, the party was officially disbanded, the government did so after branding the organization as subversive and communist. Ikoku later began a relationship with the Action Group (AG) that span majority of the First Republic. Ikoku sometimes spoke on national issues with a sense of candor, this style led to him being called a controversial figure by former Science and Technology Minister, Sam Momah. Quotes Africa needs a philosophy which will be both a rational exposition of her past experiences and an intellectual stimulus for her renaissance. Ikoku was discussing the need for an African philosophy capable of interpreting Africa's historical experience while also providing intellectual guidance for Africa's future development. Africa must evolve a philosophy that can provide the intellectual cohesion we so urgently need. Ikoku argued that Africa's encounter with competing ideologies and intellectual traditions created a need for a philosophy capable of providing intellectual unity and direction for the emerging African societies. Consciencism, a philosophy of action and reconstruction, is captivating and compelling because it is a harmonious blend of theory and practice, of aspirations and experience. Ikoku was explaining why he considered Kwame Nkrumah's Consciencism particularly relevant to Africa. He described it as a philosophy that connected intellectual ideas with practical political action and reconstruction. It is a living philosophy the vitality of whose conclusions are daily revealed and confirmed by practical events. Ikoku was describing Consciencism as a practical philosophy rather than merely an abstract intellectual system. He argued that its conclusions could be tested through political and social experience. Consciencism, though arising out of an African social milieu, is based on theoretical foundations which are universally valid. Ikoku was explaining why he believed Consciencism could have significance beyond Africa. Although he considered it rooted in African circumstances, he argued that its theoretical foundations had wider relevance. It enjoys world appeal because it has openly accepted and fully measured up to the norms of world thought. Ikoku was discussing the intellectual basis of Consciencism and arguing that an African philosophy could be rooted in African circumstances while still engaging with wider traditions of philosophical thought. Consciencism provides theoretical support for the view that the essence of social living in traditional Africa can be recaptured within a modern technological society. Ikoku was arguing that African societies could modernise without abandoning everything associated with their historical social traditions. He presented Consciencism as providing an intellectual basis for connecting traditional African social values with modern technological development. Consciencism is a great stimulant to, and source of confidence for, the new Africa because it evolves a rational doctrine of self-induced development. Ikoku was explaining why he regarded Consciencism as important to Africa's postcolonial development. He emphasized self-directed development rather than dependence on externally imposed models. External links S.G. Ikoku Category:Politicians from Nigeria Category:1997 deaths